KUALA LUMPUR: The audience at the special Umno briefing turned sombre when the children of former party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak spoke about their father who was sentenced to prison.

Many were seen wiping their tears when Nooryana Najwa gave a heartfelt speech about the latest development involving her father.

Nooryana, who was speaking on stage, was clearly trying to hold back her tears and was holding her father’s tie.

“On Tuesday, Aug 23, it was the hardest day for us as that is the last memory together with my daddy when he was surrounded by police, and what was left was his tie.

“I love this tie,” she said as she held it up.

She spoke of her childhood days with her father.

“I used to ask him why he wasn’t like others working as a doctor or an accountant.

“He replied that if he had those jobs, he could only serve a few, but as a politician, he could help thousands,” said Nooryana.

She said after 2018, Najib had to divide his time going to court and carrying out his duties for the party and the people.

“This is because daddy loves the rakyat as if they are his own. Sometimes, I feel daddy loves the rakyat more than us,” she added.

“Alhamdullilah, due to daddy’s hard work, Umno and Barisan Nasional have been accepted back by the people,” she said in her tribute to her father.

Datuk Nizar Najib, the eldest son of the former prime minister, also spoke on stage.

He said it was hard for his family to accept the court’s decision.

“Please pray for my father. We hope that he will be healthy and safe,” he said.

Despite his father being put in jail, he said the family would have to remain strong.

“My family has to be strong and I want all of you to be strong too,” he added.

Nizar, who is Pekan Umno Youth chief, described Najib as a father figure not just to him and his siblings but also to many Malaysians.

“When he was prime minister, many people came to him to ask for help. He could never say no.

“If you know my father, you know how trusting he is. But unfortunately, not all are sincere like him,” he said.